INSTRUCTION SL. NO. 55 Election Commission's Order No. 218/4/96/PLN-IV dated 09.02.1996. Subject: Payment of 100% T.A/D.A as advance to persons put on election duty At every general election, lakh of public servants will be on election duty. The Commission has been receiving a large number of complaints that the TA/DA admissible to the public servants put on election duty is not paid in time and unduly delayed. This leads not only to financial hardship to the individuals put on election duty but also generates resentment against election duty. 2. The Election Commission of India has carefully considered this issue and directs as follows: 21 Alll persons put on election duty should be paid as far as possiole, 100% of the TAIDA admissible to them immediately within 24 hours of the completion of their duty 22 If any State/Union Territory has adopted the practice of paying the 100% TA/DA as advance to the persons put on election duty, the practice may be continued. 23 In these Stetes where it is not possible to pay 100% TAIDA to persons put on election duly either within 24 hours of the completion of the duty or as advance as directed al paras 2.1 and/ or 2.2 above, they may continue with the existing practice of payment of 80% of the TA/DA as advance and the balance shall be paid within 30 days of the completion of the election 24 The District Election Officers/Retuming Ctficers will be personally responsible for ensuring the payment as directed above. 25 The District Election Officers/Retuming Officers, as the case may be, shall at the time of putting CfficersiOffcials on election duly direct the drawing and disbursing officers concerned to draw the amount calculated as being due to the persons put on election duty and disburse the same under proper acknowledgement either within 24 hours of performance of the duty 2s mentioned in para 2.1 above or as advance as mentioned in para 2.2 and 2.3 above. 26 — The Drawing and Disbursement Officer shall not wait for any specific request from the officers appointed for election related duty for drawing the advance, but shall treat 16327 3. the appointment order issued by the District Election Officer/Returning Officer itself as the proof and request on oehaif of the officers/ctficia's concemed District Election Officais/Returning Officers are directed to call a meeting of the Heads of the Departments and Drawing and Disoursement Officers and make it clear to them well in time before the duties commence that prompt payment of TAIDA as mentioned in para 2.1 or 2.2 or 2.3 above is an absolutely essential part of the election related wark and omissions are not acceptable 2.8 If after receipt of advance amount as mentioned in para 2.2 or 2.3 above, any official, for any reason whatsoever, does not find it possible to perform the official cuty assigned to him, he shell forthwith return the amount so paid ang ebtain a receipt therefor, The above directions are in supersession of the Order, dated 06-05-1994 issued by the Commission and shall be complied with without exception. These will be standing instructions for all generalibye- elections. 4, The Chief Electoral Officers shall bring the above directions to the notice of all District Election Officers/Returning Officers in the State/Union Territory. 164